SA pilot jailed in Zimbabwe

A South African pilot and business man, Frederick Wilhem August Lutzkie, has been sentenced to an effective three and half years in prison for violating Zimbabwe's air space.

Lutzikie (52) was slapped with an effective three and half year jail term for violating the Civil Aviation and Immigration laws by flying in and out of Zimbabwe on numerous occasions without
lawful authority.

Magistrate Vakai Chikwekwe initially slapped Lutzikie with a total of seven years in prison on all the 14 counts before wholly suspending half the sentence for ten years on condition the accused does not commit similar offences within the same period.

Mr. Chikwekwe ruled that the accused's conduct posed a great threat to Zimbabwe's national security and undermined the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He added, through smuggling money to invest into the country as he had alleged in his mitigation, nothing stopped the accused from smuggling weapons into the country, or taking out money made in his ventures and precious stones.

The magistrate said if such conduct was to go unpunished, the country will be exposed to infiltration.

Lutzikie's crimes came to light after his helicopter crashed in Gwanda.

The accused did not report the incident, but dug a 3,5 metre pit and buried the chopper.

The police recovered the extensively damaged helicopter wreckage on the 20th of May.